snowpack

Water experts gathered at the University of Colorado, Boulder for talks about the future of the Colorado River. Top policymakers were notably absent.

Unusually fast snowmelt is triggering drought conditions and early fire risks across the West, with runoff declining and water forecasts revised downward for key river basins.

Hydrologists say that hotter temperatures have been drying out soils and vegetation in the west, leading to less water flowing to rivers and streams when snow melts.

Seasonal forecasts point to a warm and dry spring. It’s not good news for a region that saw record heat and dry conditions last autumn.

The Four Corners saw a little more moisture than usual falling from the sky last month. But the area remains in moderate drought. There’s hopeful news, though. Snow has fallen in the mountains for the past few days, with at least a foot reportedly dropping on Wolf Creek Pass, Red Mountain Pass, and Coal Bank Pass in southwestern Colorado.

The beginning of the 2023 water year is off to a good start, reservoirs in the southwest will see some filling but may still be below average this year, calving season has been rough due to cold and wet spring weather, farm bankruptcies are going down, and census data show that the nation’s rural population grew slightly last year.

A look at what farmers may expect for their businesses in the coming year, the John Deere Corporation agrees to terms that would help farmers and independent repair shops to work on newer John Deere equipment, recent snow has bolstered the snowpack in western Colorado but much more is needed.

A new grant is expected to help tie up the deal to protect key parcels of land close to Mesa Verde National Park, according to the Public News Service. And January measurements show snowpack is above average for the Colorado River basin for this time of year.

Warmer days are here, and the snow that supplies most of the water to the Colorado River is melting. Our drought-stricken region needs all the water it can get. So as the last traces of winter come to a close in the mountains, KUNC’s Alex Hager tells us what we can expect for a summer in the Colorado River basin.

Snowpack levels in the Four Corners show small signs of improvement over last year, but some areas in the Southwest may face water shortages later this year. Avian influenza is affecting egg production, and Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack says "no" to opening reserve croplands.